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Apr 11, 2013

Blog Blitz: Excerpt and Giveaway! -- Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun

Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun

Publication date: April 10th 2013by Amazon DigitalGenre: YA Fantasy

Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Ciardis has
grown up in poverty, a cleaner in a small vale on the outskirts of the
kingdom. But beneath her kingdom’s seemingly idyllic surface lies a
hidden secret. Whispers of an inept crown Prince are growing ever
louder—intensified by the five year anniversary of the soulbond
initiations.

Amidst scandalous whispers, Ciardis finds herself chosen to train for
the Companion’s Guild. She leaves her home and sets off on a personal
journey to become a Court Companion. A position she’d never thought
possible for a lowly servant to obtain, she must prove that she has the
skills to attract a Patron.

But she must master those skills quickly. If the legends are true, only
Ciardis can harness the power to raise a Prince in an Imperial Court
sworn to bring him down.

This sensational series debut melds intricate storylines with
remarkable characters and unforgettable magic. Sworn To Raise is ideal
for fans of Kristin Cashore, Michelle Sagara, and Maria Snyder.

Ciardis sat and dropped her hands into her lap, ready
for anything, as long as she found out what her talent was, if any.
Sarah took off her spectacles and tucked back behind her ears the wisps
of hair that were fluttering in her face. Then she straightened up and
put her hands on either side of Ciardis's face.

"Hmm," she said after five long minutes.
Ciardis frowned. There'd been no magic spark or rustling winds or anything.

Where was the magical flash of power? Wasn’t that
how you could tell a mage from a mundane? Ciardis hoped the lack of
magical excitement didn’t mean anything. Perhaps Sarah’s empathic
touch wasn’t meant to be a visual demonstration?

Ciardis peered anxiously at Sarah's face, hoping
for a clue.

"I don't believe it," Sarah whispered finally.
In a slightly louder voice, she asked, "What did you say your full
name was?"

"Ciardis Rafaela Vane."

Sarah said quickly, "And it is your true name, registered
by the hands of your mother and father?"

Ciardis nodded anxiously. "They went to the
birth archives in the town and everything. Named me after the town,
in a way. At least, that's what I've been told."

They rushed out of Ciardis's room and into the dorm
hallway, Sarah clasping Ciardis's hand as they ran. They passed through
three different corridors along the way. Ciardis barely saw a glimpse
of the intricate artwork and beautiful statues in the halls as she rushed
around corners – trying to keep up with Sarah’s fast pace. Soon
they came to an abrupt stop in front of a large door. At the top of
the door in scrolled letters was inscribed, “The Companions Library”.
As they entered, Sarah asked in a hoarse whisper, "Do you recall
what the first part of my mage gift is?"

Ciardis nodded and said, "A photographic memory."
She tried to ignore the trembling in Sarah's hands as the archivist
led her through the bookcases. For her part Sarah would stop in the
middle of the library aisles and turn in a circle while pulling Ciardis
with her.

Occasionally Sarah’s hand would tighten on
Ciardis's as she cast her gaze around her like a bloodhound on the hunt.
Sarah was searching with her magic for something…what exactly that
was Ciardis couldn’t say. Seeing the girl’s confusion Sarah explained,
“I’m sending out feelers from my mage core in different directions
hoping to sense the manuscript that most feels like your mage core.”

“My mage core?” questioned Ciardis, “I have
one?”

“Oh, most definitely,” said Sarah in a grim tone,
“I would question how you didn’t know about it before this.”

After a few minutes of this, Sarah instructed Ciardis
in a whisper, "The imprints that I’m sending feelers out for
are like markers. If it's in a book, I can trace the marker back to
its source. With my memory and the imprint trail, I never forget where
I've placed a book."

After a moment of silence she continued, "Your
imprint reminds me strongly of a book I read long ago, as a child. If
I'm right, there hasn't been a Companion trainee of your type in more
than thirty years."

Tour Wide Giveaway

About the Author

Terah
Edun is an international development professional and author/lover of
all things Young Adult Fantasy fiction. She is a native
Georgian, adoptive Washingtonian, unrepentant expat currently living in
South Sudan, brilliant dreamer, lover of dogs and not-so-closet geek.
Her first novel, Red Madrassa, was released on November 8th and her
second novel, Sworn to Raise, comes out in April 2013.

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Stephanie (aka Gorelenore) works full time for a university and in her spare time reads...A LOT! She lives with her husband, her dog Rolo, her cat Cooper, and a bearded dragon in the Green Mountain State of Vermont.

Disclaimer

In compliance with FTC guidelines, advanced copies were provided by authors and publishers in exchange for honest review purposes, no monetary compensation is exchanged. Book images obtained from online sources are cited or from Goodreads.

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